Probe sought for U.S. Special Ops leader

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been asked to investigate whether the general who oversees Special Operations is overzealous in prosecutions.

Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., asked for the investigation of Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney's actions, saying they "have damaged the lives of many of our special operators and deserve to be investigated," the Washington Times reported.

In June, Kearney ordered charges of premeditated murder be brought against two Army Special Forces soldiers even though the two soldiers already had been exonerated of shooting and killing a man in Afghanistan by the Army's Criminal Investigation Command.

In March, Kearney pulled all 120 members of the Marine Special Operations Command Fox Company out of Afghanistan before an internal preliminary investigation into the Marines' response to an ambush was completed.

"My client, and other Marines on the ... patrol, were presumed to be guilty rather than innocent and they have suffered the stigma," defense attorney Mark Waple told the Times.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.